Tag: productivity

I’m Soiree, not sorryCelebrating, unapologetically

The relay race

One of my favourite childhood memories from elementary school is doing relay races. I loved the idea of handing off the baton to your team mate and cheering each other on; or patting each other to tell you you are doing a great job, even when you trip or fall behind the other teams.

Getting through a LOOOONNNGGG race is only possible when you have a team to hand off that baton. You will get tired. You will need a physical and emotional break to re-charge. You will need that water break.

And it’s always good to know who’s great at what & know each other’s strengths are. For example, I love setting the pace, therefore I know I like to go first. And I also know I don’t like being the anchor….( or last one). Sometimes the excruciating pressure to finish well can get to me and cause a few stumbles. And there are people who love being anchor. So guess who gets to be the finisher? Yup, that person who loves doing just that!
Being in a relay race with your team is like family. They are your essentials to get through this thing called life. They will pick up the parts where their strengths are better in certain aspects.They will cheer you on when you are doing great. And they will tell you when you need to pick up the pace when you are falling short of your game. They are the ones who will shed those same sweat and tears during your run. And they are the ones that make the defeats less isolating, the victories that much sweeter, and the the game much more meaningful. And when you are lucky, you will get to run with the same relay race team throughout multiple (victorious an some not-so-victorious) relay races.

I’m Soiree, not sorryCelebrating,unapologetically

Where does the story begin?

We all have a story. And every story has beginnings. And when you’ve come a long way, it is beautiful to reflect how the journey began.
I saw this phrase painted on a wall two days ago (as featured in the picture above) ; & it was very symbolic of where my headspace was at.

Take a moment to appreciate all the highs and lows of how you got to where you are. It isn’t always about having a great ride throughout the whole duration of time. You wouldn’t be the person you are without the entirety of the whole. And maybe you wouldn’t be as strong or resilient if you didn’t have those bumpy moments. And when you have those great moments, they can be a reminder of what you have….. and what you can have. This applies to relationships, your career, your dreams, and everything else in between.

Life, and loss, makes you reflect how you currently spend your time on, & makes you appreciate what you want to make time for & what you don’t want to waste your time on.

Just as stories have beginnings, they too have an ending. But what I am learning is that endings can be the start of a new beginning or a new journey. Or maybe the journey is about continuing on the path but in a slightly different direction.

Beginnings –> endings –> create new beginnings
Funny how life comes in full circle.

I’m Soiree, not sorryCelebrating, unapologetically

The weekly review- week 1

Self-compassion. Forgiveness. It’s hard to get through everything on your list. It’s even harder to be compassionate towards yourself when you fall short of what you hoped to achieve. And I know that I get disappointed when things are not checked off my list.
Mindfulness meditation has been one of the easier activities to tackle this week. The more challenging one(s) are “physical activity”and “pay it forward “. But I must say, one cool process that is starting to take unfold, is that now, every so often throughout the day, I will mentally find opportunities where I can consciously do those 12 items on the list. Mindfulness and intention.
My plant, by the way is starting to grow new buds….and roots on the fallen leaves are starting to grow. Go figure. This has been a neat experiment thus far.

I’m Soiree, not sorry Celebrating, unapologetically

The bucket list

We all have a bucket list. It’s a list of all the things one wants to accomplish during the span of one’s lifetime. It’s funny how experiencing a death of a loved one expedites your desire to get those items on your bucket list checked off.
One thing that is beginning to materialize these past few weeks, is that these bucket list items don’t have to be grand at all.
I am truly finding solace in finding at least one thing to be grateful for; or trying to find at least one way to pay it forward to ignite a random act of kindness; or identifying at least personal strength of mine. And the more I’m consistent with implementing these practices, the clearer it becomes to me that daily mindfulness practices such as these is essential. Maybe I had the idea of bucket list all wrong before. I always thought of bucket list items as large grand event occurrences ( ie. hike Mount Everest). Maybe if we see our bucket list as everyday, acts of kindness & gratitude, then maybe we will find a richness in our daily. Maybe if we shifted our expectations of our bucket list checklist as those beautiful, but often too rare, wondrous life moments, then maybe,…just maybe…..life won’t be that monotonous rigmarole pace we often complain about.

I’m Soiree, not sorryCelebrating, unapologetically

Sharing the spotlight

Tell them they are great. Tell them that you notice the work they do. Tell them that it matters. And most importantly, tell them that you think of them.

Just because you let someone know they are doing great doesn’t mean it’ll get to their head. Just because you compliment someone else on the work that they do, doesn’t mean it takes away from how you, yourself, are also great. Telling someone they are wonderful doesn’t make you a suck up or a goody-two-shoes.

Allowing others to have the spotlight can bring so much joy to someone’s day, especially in the hustle bustle of the type of society we currently live in. A small gesture of giving something to someone because it reminded you of them, can be so empowering for others, and for you.

I often hear that people say that they are not in the business of what they do to be told they are doing great work. But I am also a believer in that even if being told you are great is not the sole purpose of why you do what you do, it does not mean you still don’t deserve credit where it’s due every now and then.

Imagine if we lived in a world where giving and receiving compliments was commonplace. How much more beautiful the world would be.

I challenge you to allow yourself to hand the spotlight to people in your life every so often. Allowing others to shine makes you a star.

I’m Soiree, not sorryCelebrating, unapologetically

Self, Solo, Strength

Self-care is being selfless. You really can’t take care of others if you don’t take care of yourself first. This is an especially true concept for mothers. As a mom, your instinct is to put your children first before your own needs. While I agree wholeheartedly with this philosophy, everyone,in general, and ESPECIALLY mothers, need to prioritize their self-care as often as they change their underwears (yes, even changing your gitch is self-care).

This past week has been extremely difficult, particularly with the roller coaster of emotions. And it became very apparent that self-care for myself, was critical to fulfilling my other life roles (mother, wife, daughter, health care professional, etc).

So this week I spent a lot of solo time, which was exactly what I needed.

MARKET CRAFT SHOPPING

I went to a large market craft sale, thirdnbird, to be exact, which is fuel for my soul. The energy was amazing, and I got to go at my own pace. Plus, I fed my paper and jewelry addiction, and I bought local artwork & geometric accessories. If you know me, craft shopping is just the best !!!

SOLO COFFEE DATE

It was a brief stop, but nonetheless, a best stop at a trendy coffee shop, Thom Bargen. If you know me well, you would also know I am obsessed with coffee. And I just love sitting in cafes. I can do that for endless hours. I had the best seat in the house, as I watched traffic go down the busy downtown street. And while it was only a brief 20 minutes, it was the most relaxing thing for my mind to wander aimlessly and imagine made up stories of passer-byers (imagining where they were off to, what they were chatting about, etc). I used to do that as a kid all the time. I left feeling recharged, not only because of the caffeine, but also because I sat in stillness after a chaotic few hours of market shopping.

PAINT NIGHT

Such therapy. That’s my painting in the featured image for today’s post. It was my first time. And while the painting is far from perfect, this painting is forever staying with me. It has sentimental value given the timing it was done. It happened earlier this Tuesday when all I wanted to do was stay in my PJs and spend another day watching my PVR shows, and commiserate in my misery. But I mustered all my strength to attend the session I signed up for. In retrospect, it was the best thing I could do for my soul at that moment. Engaging in therapeutic activity has such a powerful impact, especially when for me, creativity is such a passionate outlet for me. That sunset, I take it, is symbolic for beautiful endings, which I needed to remind myself, of how my grandmother led a beautiful life and that her time on earth ended so peacefully. It’s amazing how the world works to emphasize powerful messages, at least I believe this wholeheartedly.

WRITING

This is day 5 of this #Soireeprojectgrowth and what this is doing for me is building consistency. And strength, personal & internal strength. And it’s also emphasizing some daily activities I wanna integrate in my daily habits. So far, so good. Can’t wait for my weekly review to see where I’m at.

Boss: Know no bounds

Opportunities a #girlboss sees, she shall seize

I read a quote earlier in the week on the Forbes Instagram. “The opportunity of a lifetime needs to be seized within the lifetime of the opportunity”- Leonard Ravenhill.

So beautiful, & so true. Have you ever hummed & hawed on a proposition that was asked of you? That hesitation, perhaps, was some reservation you had about whether or not you would be able to manage a new project. Or perhaps it was the paralyzing fear that tends to come in tandem with new territory. I have been here many times before, only to learn that by the time I was ready say yes & take on the new challenge (which could vary from a few hours, days, or weeks), those opportunities & moments had already gone me by.

Just like milk or bread, opportunities have an expiration date, or shall I say, a shelf life. Given my experience, both as an aspiring girlboss & in my personal life, I’ve learnt that when something good comes your way, you jump on board…and figure out the details later on.

True story: I have one day off from the work week from my main gig. Reality is…that one ‘day off’ really has not been spent as a day off. I am constantly ‘hustling’ on my day off, whether it is taking a course/ attending a class, responding to emails, finalizing craft orders. I feel like I am busier than ever compared to when I was a full-timer at my main gig. One thing that has become truly apparent in the entrepreneurial business, is that each minute counts & that time needs to be maximized. Having your small business requires more time & energy than a traditional ‘nine to fiver’. If you want something, take it like you own it. Once it’s yours, you will have the time to figure out the details later on I can ascertain some of my successes to the fact that I am often the first one to say yes to project proposals without necessarily always having a concrete plan in place at that given moment. With that being said, a lot of work must be put in after you have seized that opportunity.

So back to my original message, “opportunities that a #girlboss sees, she shall seize”, it’s really about grabbing the bull by the horns & owning it when it crosses your path, because it won’t always be there. All it takes is a few moments before someone else snags something that could’ve been yours….& wouldn’t that suck! Here are some tips that have aided me when I’ve seized the opportunities & needed to figure out ‘now how the heck do I execute what I’ve committed to?”

Expectations:Set specific expectations with the other party (if applicable) & confirm details on the product they are expecting from you. In my line of work, I do custom work, therefore rarely is there any duplication of items. I spend a lot of time confirming & re-confirming orders.

Time frames– deadlines, delivery pick ups, dates of parties, all dates to be specifically set up. A big part of this is also allocating an appropriate timeframe for you to execute your project & ensure there is ample time for it all to materialize.

Consistency- Having a consistent time work schedule of when tasks will be executed & completed helps with the momentum of a project. Consistency also allow you to ensure you get the work done. Trust me, you will encounter issues & unexpected pitfalls. Consistency & persistence becomes even more essential when these curve balls come your way.

DO NOT underestimate your own amazing-ness This is a biggie. In times of uncertainty & when pursuing some thing new, it is all too easy to get caught up in self-doubt. When that tiny voice of uncertainty begins to chime in, tell that voice it is unwelcome….& continue on with your day. Just remember, you are amazing….and others know it too!! That is exactly why you were chosen amongst the rest at what you do.

The last point is the most pertinent of all. You are amazing! & you deserve all the great opportunities that come your way. They don’t call you (girlboss) boss for nothing.

Yours truly,

SoireeFrillsCo.

Boss-in-training: No-no bounds

(The blog for my growing girls, who I strive to raise strong fierce ladies & soon-to-be bosses. The ‘don’ts’, followed by the ‘dos’).

Embrace the fear

Dear Elle & Enne,

Never let fear or uncertainty stop you from doing something great.

Earlier last week was a pretty big milestone for you Elle. You started kindergarten, your start of an embarkment of a new adventure in the education system. That first day, you wanted me to stay the whole day (I’m sure, in part, because I made it to be such a big deal) & squeezed my hand a little bit harder when it was time for me to let go.

I told you that today was going to be a great day, and that you needed to find that “great” thing without mommy there. That day, I was so thankful you didn’t cry (because honestly, I think the insides of my heart was doing a mini cry because I was unexpectedly struggling with this transition). Kudos to you Elle.

And for you Enne, this was a transition for you. Since you saw your sister wearing her ‘big girl kindergarten’ outfit, you also insisted wearing a backpack too. And you also insisted on having your photo taken as well.

Don’t let scary changes stop you. Embrace all things that can be fearful, for it is in fear do we experience growth. Opportunities tend to be looming in places where people are brave enough to explore. Someone once told me to be the ‘trailblazer’ in initiating a trend (fine! This is literally in instances pertaining starting a food fine). Elle & Enne, my wish for you is to be that trailblazer. Zoom, off you go.